SM UC-47 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 30 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 13 October 1916 as SM UC-47."SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" () and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine. In 13 patrols UC-47 was credited with sinking 58 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-47 was rammed and depth charged by British patrol boat P-57, under the command of H.C. Birnie, off Flamborough Head on 18 November 1917. UC-47 went down with all hands.
Design A Type UC II submarine, UC-47 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a length overall of , a beam of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing (a total of ), two electric motors producing , and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . UC-47 was fitted with six mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate31 January 1917Modiva1,276Sunk1 February 1917Portia1,127Sunk8 February 1917880Sunk8 February 1917Lullington2,816Sunk10 February 1917Japanese Prince4,876Sunk12 February 1917Aghios Spyridon1,618Sunk12 February 1917Brissons60Sunk13 February 1917Sequoya5,263Damaged13 February 1917F. D. Lambert2,195Sunk13 February 1917Fleurette60Sunk11 March 1917Charles Le Cour2,352Sunk11 March 1917G. A. Savage357Sunk12 March 1917C.A.S.60Sunk12 March 1917Ena56Sunk12 March 1917Gratia37Sunk12 March 1917Hyacinth56Sunk12 March 1917Inter-nos59Sunk12 March 1917Jessamine56Sunk12 March 1917Lent Lily23Sunk12 March 1917Nellie61Sunk12 March 1917Proverb37Sunk12 March 1917Rivina22Sunk14 March 1917Brika3,549Sunk15 March 1917Solferino1,155Sunk15 March 1917Wilfred1,121Sunk16 March 1917Medusa1,274Sunk16 March 1917Sully2,649Sunk17 April 1917Dantzic108Sunk17 April 1917William Shephard143Sunk19 April 1917Old Head105Damaged19 April 1917Gold Coast4,255Sunk19 April 1917Jewel195Sunk19 April 1917HMT Star of Freedom258Sunk22 April 1917HMS Gaelic224Damaged23 April 1917Tommi138Damaged23 April 1917Imataka1,776Sunk24 April 1917Heather58Sunk24 April 1917Plutus1,189Sunk26 April 1917Aigle172Sunk26 April 1917John Lockett842Sunk18 May 1917Mary Baird1,830Sunk3 June 1917Portofino1,754Sunk12 June 1917HMT Carew Castle256Sunk14 June 1917Dart3,207Sunk19 June 1917Great City5,525Damaged18 July 1917Ruth549Damaged20 July 1917Beatrice712Sunk20 July 1917Bramham1,978Sunk31 July 1917Fremona3,028Sunk31 July 1917Motano2,730Sunk22 August 1917Gro2,667Sunk23 August 1917Peer Gynt1,144Sunk23 August 1917Veghtstroom1,353Sunk26 August 1917Eirini2,452Sunk26 August 1917Seresia2,342Damaged23 September 1917Perseverance118Sunk24 September 1917Mimosa296Damaged25 September 1917Boynton2,578Sunk3 October 1917Annie F. Conlon591Sunk18 October 1917Cadmus1,879Sunk18 October 1917Togston1,057Sunk9 November 1917Ballogie1,207Sunk9 November 1917Isabelle2,466Sunk11 November 1917Dana1,620Sunk12 November 1917Huibertje68Sunk14 March 1918Jeanne Marie2,971Sunk
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